By Deanna Ferrari
Monster.com, the “careers” section of corporate websites, business networking events…we all know the usual suspects when it comes to looking for a job. And these tools are still great outlets for doing so. But with the economy as uncertain as it is today, and with the speed of communication moving to online channels, job seekers need to get creative. Enter social media.
Most of us know how to apply for a job, but there are great online resources out there to make you stand out a bit more, and most are free! First, LinkedIn. Most people know what LinkedIn is by now, and if you don’t, you need to make yourself a profile. LinkedIn is an Internet platform company focused on connecting the world’s professionals. Think of an elaborate online resume, where you can link to your blog and SlideShare presentations, as well as have your colleagues recommend your great work. After putting all of your information into LinkedIn, you can connect with former and current colleagues and classmates, and if they know someone you’d like to know, they can make an introduction for you.
Another tool some may overlook is Twitter. I have made numerous connections on Twitter that have led to some great professional opportunities such as spreading the word on events, connecting with journalists, and meeting new people in my field. The same goes for job searching. First, make your account professional. Get a good bio, and link to your professional blog or LinkedIn page. Next, start following professionals in the geographic area where you’ll be looking for a job. Simply typing keywords (with hashtags) in search.twitter.com can also help you find relevant people with similar interests. Then, start talking. But don’t start with, “Oh, you work in [insert field]? Are you hiring?” The response you will get then? “Blocked.” Why not start with commenting on or retweeting an interesting tweet? Get to know the people you are following. Then once you’ve made a solid connection, perhaps send them a private note (via direct message) asking if it would be OK to e-mail them. What else? From our industry, public relations, here are a few examples: Join in a chat (#u30pro, #prstudchat) or follow accounts that tweet job openings (@helpaprproout, @socialmediajobs). There are similar chats and accounts in many, many other fields. Google them or use the Twitter search function (see link above) to discover them. Today, because of social media, putting yourself out there means reaching a lot more people a lot faster than what you might have done even a few years ago: blind e-mailing a list of strangers.
And what about blogs? Writing a blog during a job search is a commitment to building it up and writing the content, so maybe you might want to take it down a notch to a simpler platform such as Tumblr. Tumblr lets you share text, photos, quotes, links, music and videos from your browser, phone, desktop, or e-mail. It allows you to type in more characters than a tweet, but isn’t so much of a time commitment as a full-blown blog. On Tumblr, you can share relevant news or thoughts on items pertinent to the industry in which you’re seeking a job, allowing recruiters to see how well you communicate, how you think and what sort of expertise you might have.
So once you have all of these great platforms set up and connections made, then what? Well, include them in your job search! Putting a link to your blog or LinkedIn page right on your resume and in your e-mail signature or business card is very simple, and shows you are knowledgeable on the social space. Another great tool for this is a flavors account. Here, you can link to all of your social networks in one place, including Tumblr, Flickr, Twitter and more. Plus, it’s one link (flavors.me/yourbrand) rather than a slew of them.
By utilizing social media channels to your professional advantage, you’ll not only reach more people, but also show your skills in social media. In a field like mine, public relations, these are essential skills to have (and I suspect the same is true of many fields today). It may take time, but a job search is a job itself, and if you approach it that way, your efforts will pay off. Good luck and happy tweeting!
For more on how WordWrite recommends using social media in your job search, click here.
PR pros: For more on upcoming December 2010 and January 2011 “Help a PR Pro Out” events, click here.
Social media tool of the month is a regular feature on the WordWrite Storytelling Blog that appears monthly.
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Deanna Ferrari is a senior account executive for WordWrite Communications. You can follow her on Twitter @dferrari.
